Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board
(WSLCB)

Agency staff presented a new interpretive statement which offered no ‘safe harbor’ to licensees converting CBD into delta-9-THC, asserting the practice was not permitted under law.

The board received a short briefing on cannabis rulemaking, adopted a permanent ban on vitamin E acetate, and heard from a public eager to support farmers and consumers.

WSLCB Director Rick Garza shared new details about the background, leadership, and advocacy of CANNRA as he encouraged traffic safety officials to affiliate with the organization.

Legislation which would authorize the importation of CBD products into I-502 received its first finance committee public hearing.

A second dialogue on “Cannabis Plant Chemistry” would draw engaged participants and a Thurston County Superior Court judge would address out-of-state ownership of Washington cannabis businesses.

Staff discussed upcoming meetings with officials, a presentation to lawmakers on synthesized cannabinoids, progress on social equity, and a new proposal on federal cannabis legalization.

The board heard a briefing on a statewide prevention roundtable leading to questions about prevention advocate engagement - and the synthesized cannabinoids investigation continued.

Dialogues about addressing social and economic equity within and through the cannabis sector continued - in some ways removed from current challenges undermining industry diversity.

The board doubled tier 1 canopy, approved proposed changes on criminal history background checks, and switched retail title certificates from an interim policy to a policy statement.

Board members voted to restart rulemaking on synthesized cannabinoids and heard directly from two advocates for the practice amongst many more otherwise opposed.